CHAPTER 11
Elena
I still remember it clearly. The day, the hour, even the second when I became certain Adrian was the one for me. We had only been dating for a year, when love began to shift from thrilling intensity into something calmer, warmer, and quietly certain.
We had planned a trip to Florida during our work leave.
A vacation, technically, but also something more.
Adrian had never met my parents before, and I wanted him to.
I needed him to understand where I came from, who shaped me.
I had told him early on that I was CODA (Child of Deaf Adult).
That my mother couldn’t hear. That communication in my family looked a little different.
He listened, asked a few questions, and said nothing more.
When we landed, my parents were waiting near baggage claim.
My mother spotted us first, her face lighting up the second she saw me.
She pulled me into a tight hug, the kind that made the world disappear for a moment.
I hugged her back just as hard, breathing her in, grounding myself in something familiar.
My father wrapped an arm around us both, squeezing my shoulder gently, his presence warm and steady as ever.
I turned to introduce Adrian, but he stepped forward before I could say a word.
He smiled at her and signed, “Hello. My name is Adrian. Nice to meet you.”
I froze.
My mother’s eyes widened in shock before she broke into the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face. Her hands moved quickly as she signed back, excited, almost disbelieving.
“You sign?” she asked.
Adrian nodded, a little shy. “Yes. I’ve been learning.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding. “You... you know sign language?” I whispered.
He glanced at me, almost sheepish. “Yeah. I took an ASL course.”
“For how long?” I asked.
“Almost six months.”
Six months.
For a moment, I couldn’t say anything. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged lightly, like it was nothing. “I wanted it to be right. I wanted to be able to talk to her myself.”
My mother signed again, slower this time. “When did you learn?”
Adrian answered honestly. “After Elena told me about you. I wanted to learn everything about her. About her family.”
My heart skipped, then raced, overwhelmed by something warm and unexpected. When he started those classes, we had only been dating for a few months. Long before promises or certainty, even before forever was a word we dared to say out loud.
I turned to him, eyes burning. “That’s... that’s the most meaningful thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
He laughed softly, nervous. “I just thought, if I’m serious about you, this matters.”
I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate.
“I love you,” I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I love you so much, Adrian.”
He blinked, clearly startled. Then he laughed again, softer this time. “I love you too, Elena,” he said.
That memory stayed beautiful. Even now. Even after he shattered so much of what we built, that moment still existed. Proof that once, without question, he had loved me in the purest way he knew how.
— ? —
That night, I cooked dinner for him. Nothing complicated, just honey mustard chicken and roasted potatoes. When Adrian came home and saw the table set, I caught the brief flicker of happiness on his face, even though he tried to hide it.
“Elena, you didn’t have to do all this,” he said softly. “But... thank you.”
He stepped closer to me where I stood beside the dining table, leaning in to kiss my forehead. He didn’t get the chance. I moved away before his lips could reach me and took my seat instead. He let out a quiet breath before sitting down across from me.
We ate in silence, calm and restrained, a sharp contrast to a month ago, when dinners were filled with stories and laughter. After we finished eating, I stood to clear the table and wash the dishes, but Adrian stopped me.
“I’ll do it,” he said gently.
He took my plate and carried it to the sink.
I watched his back as he washed the dishes, my chest tightening painfully.
I drew a slow breath in, then let it out just as slowly, trying to keep the tears at bay.
It still hurt. So much. Because I still loved him, and the irony of it all was cruel.
I still wanted comfort from the same person who had hurt me.
I still needed him to be the one to lessen the pain he had caused.
When he finished cleaning up, I didn’t waste any more time.
“I called her this morning,” I said.
Adrian turned to face me and walked closer. Strangely, he didn’t look surprised at all, and I’d learned to trust my instincts.
“You knew,” I said. Not a question. A statement.
He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words.
“Yes,” he admitted quietly.
I let out a bitter smile. “So she reported to you right away.”
“It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “Let me explain. I don’t want you to misunderstand.”
He took the chair across from me.
“Yes, she contacted me,” he continued. “She was rambling after you confronted her, but I didn’t engage. I told her to only contact me about the debt.”
“Should I clap for you?” I said coldly. “For managing to restrain yourself? Congratulations.”
Adrian stayed silent, his eyes fixed on me.
“I told her to pay the debt back through me,” I added. “Not you.”
His expression didn’t change. “Alright,” he said. “That’s better, actually, if you don’t mind.”
“You put me in this position, Adrian,” I said, exhaling shakily. “And now that woman stays in my life until her debt is paid off. She’ll always be there, as a reminder that you betrayed me.”
“Elena—”
And finally, I said the thought that had been haunting me since this morning, since the moment I ended that call with Phoebe.
“Is our marriage still worth saving, Adrian?” I asked quietly.
“Of course it is,” he said immediately, his hand clenching into a fist. “I can’t lose you, Elena. We can still do this. We can.”
“I don’t know if I can move forward,” I whispered. “I don’t know if we can rebuild.”
“Please don’t say that. I’ll do anything you ask,” he said, his voice breaking. “Anything, Elena. Just... don’t leave me. Please give me a chance.”
“You didn’t just cheat on me physically, Adrian,” I said. “You were emotionally attached to her for months. Why don’t we just stop here?
“Elena—I can’t,” he said. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you too, Adrian,” I replied softly. “But that wasn’t enough for you.”
He swallowed hard. “It was enough, Elena. I was just... selfish.” He lowered his gaze.
“I knew it was wrong,” he said quietly. “And I still didn’t stop myself.”
He exhaled. “I let something stupid from my past get into my head. I let my ego take over.”
“But I promise you,” he continued, his voice shaking, “this won’t happen again, Elena. I will never hurt you with the same mistake. Please... forgive me. Just this once.”
I didn’t know whether his words were something I could hold onto. All I knew was that I was tired, tired of explanations and tired of deciding whether to leave or keep going with whatever remained between us, as if either option would spare me from pain.
So instead, I made him an offer.
I took a slow breath and met his eyes. “Can you accept this?” I asked, my voice steady. “Our relationship will change. I won’t be the same wife I used to be. I won’t be the partner you once had.” I paused, letting the weight of my words settle between us. “And I’m not rebuilding what we were.”
Adrian nodded slowly. He reached across the table, took my hand, and held it tight. “I’ll accept it, Elena,” he said. “Whatever you’re willing to give me…every version of you… I’ll take it. As long as we stay together.”